Scientists from around the world gather in Caithness for conference

7th July 2015

Scientists from around the world recently gathered in Thurso for an annual biological sciences meeting. The Larwood Symposium was hosted by the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) of the North Highland College UHI on behalf of the International Bryozoology Association. Delegates travelled from as far as New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil and the USA for the four day conference which included a tour of Caithness and field trip to Orkney.

The delegates, biologists and palaeontologists, came to discuss their research on bryozoans, tiny freshwater or marine invertebrates. They were welcomed to the conference and to the area by Director of the ERI Professor Stuart Gibb at local museum Caithness Horizons with a drinks reception.

Dr Jen Loxton of the ERI, and organiser of the Larwood Symposium said: "It has been absolutely wonderful to host such an eminent group of scientists here in the Highlands and Islands, and show off our fantastic natural environments. Even though the weather was challenging at times, everyone had a great time and was delighted by the wide biodiversity to be found on our coasts. I would also really like to thank our sponsors the UHI MERIKA Project, Rock Rose Gin, International Bryozoology Association, Society of Biology, Scottish Government and the Linnean Society, without whom this conference would not have been possible."

The round the world trip was definitely a worthwhile one for Dr Abby Smith of the University of Otago in New Zealand and treasurer of the International Bryozoology Association, she said: "I am delighted to be here at the 13th Larwood Symposium. This is a group that meets very seldom so it is extremely useful and important to talk and share with other bryozoologists as the likelihood is that we are the only ones at our institutions with this specialty."

As well as the two days of presentations at the North Highland College UHI's Flagstones facility, the scientists also visited tourist hot spots in Caithness such as Dunnet Beach, RockRose Gin, The Castle of Mey and Mary Ann's Cottage before boarding the ferry to Stromness. In Orkney, the group were able to enjoy some field work and SCUBA Diving to collect samples of bryozoans as well as taking the historic tour of the island visiting the Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodger, Scara Brae and Maes Howe.

Susan Miller, a marine scientist student with the Talent Conservation Volunteers based in Orkney said: "This was my first time at a Larwood Symposium and it has been great! It has been really inspiring and I don't think there would be a question related to bryozoans that I could ask and that someone from the conference wouldn’t be able to answer."

The next meeting of the International Bryozoology Association will be in 2016 in Australia.

Related Businesses

Related Articles

A new report has revealed that 70.3% of full-time students successfully completed their studies at Highlands and Islands colleges in the 2016 to 2017 academic year. This is higher than the national average figure which shows that 65.3% of students passed further education courses at Scottish colleges in the period.

Uncertainty over funding from Highland council. Caithness Horizons, which tells the story of the county of Caithness from 416 million years ago to the present day, has deleted its manager post and cut its curator's hours from 40 to 20 hours a week in anticipation of funding cuts.

Week Commencing 1st January 2018. Energy & business services: 2018 promises to be another year of exciting change in the energy sector, and to highlight how things have progressed in the north the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm team have produced a short booklet outlining the significant milestones that have been achieved during 2017 - you can access the booklet at https://www.beatricewind.com/single-post/2017/12/22/lookingbackat2017 .

A new report has highlighted the threat marine plastic pollution poses to seabirds in the northeastern Atlantic region. Researchers found that, of 34 seabird species investigated, 74% have ingested plastic.

Vice-principals take up roles at University of the Highlands and Islands. The University of the Highlands and Islands has appointed three new vice-principals to its senior management team to increase representation from the 13 colleges and research institutions which make up its partnership.

North Highland College UHI are inviting applications for the Engineering and Construction Employability Essentials summer programme. The course is now in its fourth year and run in conjunction with Skills Development Scotland.

A new three-year partnership agreement between North Highland College UHI and Nigg Skills Academy has been signed to deliver engineering skills and qualifications to the Ross-Shire area at their academy in Nigg. Nigg Skills Academy works with employers and industry bodies to deliver engineering skills to meet today's industry demands, has established a memorandum of understanding with North Highland College UHI to continue to provide opportunities for those seeking careers within the engineering and energy industry.

To date, the Inverness Campus project has attracted over £100m of investment, and independent research has shown that it already has potential to support up to 1,300 jobs on site and create 940 new jobs across the Highlands and Islands over the next five years. www.uhi.ac.uk.

North Highland College UHI's evening classes and short courses are a great way for you to learn a new skill, turn a hobby into a money earner or even take the first step on the road to achieving a new qualification. With ILA funding available, you might be able to learn a whole new skill without it costing you a penny! From Digital Photography to Working With Wood, there's something for everyone.

Engineering & Construction "Employability Essentials" course, which runs from 4th July to 5th August. Last year 100% of the attendees went onto into positive destinations (employment, modern apprenticeships or further education), and there are 4 places remaining of the course for this year.